Code of Conduct

for the relationship between supervisor / promotor and research-based postgraduate student

The following set of guidelines is proposed as a code of conduct for ensuring that the nature of the relationship between the supervisor/promotor and the research-based postgraduate student is conductive to successful postgraduate studies at the SU:

​Plagiarism - Policy and Procedure

According to Encarta's World English Dictionary (1999, London: Bloomsbury, p.1440) plagiarism is "stealing somebody's work or idea, copying what somebody else has written or taking somebody else's idea and trying to pass it off as original." The Shorter Oxford English DIctionary (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1980: 1596) describes plagiarism as "the taking and using as one's own thoughts, writings, or inventions of another." W. Pauk, in How to study in college (3rd edition, 1984, Boston: Houghton Mifflin, p. 354) describes plagiarism as:

"Plagiarism is stealing other people's words and ideas and making them appear to be your own. It need not be as blatant as copying whole passages without giving credit. If you paraphrase something from already published material and do not give the reference, you're guilty of plagiarism even though you have no intention of stealing! Simply rearranging sentences or rephrasing a little without crediting is still plagiarism."

Plagiarism is regarded in a very serious light in journalism and in the training provided by this Department. Students caught out as plagiarists, will get zero for an assignment and will not be allowed to hand in any other assignment in a specific module. This will mean that a student would not be able to complete the degree. If you are uncertain about what plagiarism entails, you are referred to the following websites where the different forms of plagiarism are set out:

If such an event occurs, an internal disciplinary committee will investigate the matter. This committee will consist of five people; two from the industry (of whom one will be the chair); two from the Department of Journalism, and one from the faculty. The committe will make a recommendation which will be sent to the US's disciplinary committee.​